To the Editor:
If 2026 is the year of affordability, energy cost is the most important driving force. Consumers rightfully want to know that the energy they need will be there when they need it, without costing an arm and a leg.
To achieve that, state leaders have arrived at a bipartisan consensus that a singular focus on policies like renewable electrification as a one-shot solution will drain wallets. “All-of-the-above” has grown to be more than a buzz phrase; it’s ingrained in state energy policy.
Nowhere is that more evident than Gov. Kathy Hochul’s all-in approach to nuclear energy, announcing in January her intent to quadruple the state’s nuclear commitment to include enough new development to power millions of homes. Put another way, New York intends to build more than the total amount of nuclear construction nationwide over the last three decades.
The rub is that nuclear facilities are expensive and can take well more than a decade to build. So while we work toward laudable goals to build new nuclear energy as quickly as possible, we need other strategies right now to alleviate an impending energy crunch that threatens reliability and drives up the costs for limited resources.
Renewable biofuels need to be part of the here-and-now mix, especially in hard and costly to electrify sectors. Made from sources like restaurant grease, animal fats and used cooking oil — and with significantly lower emissions than traditional fuels — these fuels are a readymade solution to help alleviate demand for other energy today and without the need for potentially cost-prohibitive home heating system or vehicle upgrades.
New York City’s conversion of its heavy-duty trucks and ferries to use entirely renewable diesel is a shining example that we don’t need to wait for a silver-bullet solution like nuclear paired with millions spent on electric vehicles in order to reduce emissions without disrupting services New Yorkers rely on. Erie and Westchester counties have gotten on board, too. And the state has highlighted supplanting fossil fuels with renewable ones as a step toward achieving climate and energy goals.
Data from the California Air Resources Board show that aggressive policies have helped the state replace 75% of the fossil diesel used in heavy duty vehicles with renewable and biodiesel alternatives.
As New York policymakers pursue nuclear, they also should take a hard look at proposals like a Clean Fuel Standard, similar to policies in California, that would signal to the market that the Empire State is going beyond pilot or one-off projects and is open for widespread renewable fuel use and production. Similarly, ensuring that renewable diesel and biodiesel are both options under the state’s bioheating law will help further move away from traditional oil used by homeowners but without the added upfront costs of installing fully electric systems.
These and other measures will strengthen energy reliability, mitigate household costs, and accelerate our clean energy transition without overtaxing the electric grid.
Hochul is right to pivot to a more practical energy future, but we cannot afford to let the perfect of tomorrow get in the way of the proven of today. By embracing renewable biofuels as a cornerstone of our strategy, we can cut emissions, protect our wallets, and power our state with a solution that is ready right now.
Kris DeLair
Executive Director
Empire State Energy Association
Troy
Rocco J. Lacertosa
CEO
New York State Energy Coalition
Hauppauge, Long Island